Online Tomb Sweeping: Is Formality as Important as Sincerity?

Every year, when the weather in March is cool and the grass is green, Vietnamese people look forward to Thanh Minh Day - an occasion for descendants to return to clean graves and burn incense to remember their ancestors. Thanh Minh is not only a customary ritual but also a time for people to calm down and connect with their roots.

However, in modern society, when life is increasingly busy, when geographical distance makes it impossible for many people to return to their hometowns, a new form has emerged: online grave-sweeping. This service helps people living far away to perform the grave-sweeping ritual through an intermediary, from cleaning, burning incense to live streaming for their descendants to follow. This has raised many debates: Can technology replace the physical presence of descendants at their ancestors' graves? Or is the most important thing still the sincere heart, regardless of the form of expression?

Tradition carries profound spiritual value

Professor Dinh Quang Bao, a psychology expert and former Principal of Hanoi Pedagogical University, shared that:

"Thanh minh is the day when the weather is clear and people are most relaxed. And at times like these, people remember their ancestors, and it is also an opportunity for descendants to show their gratitude."

Since ancient times, Qingming Festival has not only been a spiritual ritual, but also a traditional cultural feature that unites families. When visiting graves together, descendants not only clean their ancestors’ graves but also tell old stories, reminding each other to maintain filial piety.

Unique images of Thanh Minh Festival in Cao Bang

But the essence of Thanh Minh is not about cleaning graves or burning incense sticks, but about remembering ancestors. It is a moment for each person to ask themselves: Have we lived a filial life? Have we preserved the values ​​that our ancestors left behind?

Online Tomb Sweeping: Solution or the Decline of Tradition?

In recent years, online grave-sweeping has become a popular service. Users just need to place an order via the app, and the staff will clean, worship, and burn incense on their behalf. For those who live far from home, this can be a solution to help them fulfill their obligations to their ancestors even though they cannot return home.

Descendants clean their ancestors' graves on Qingming Festival

But can a live video stream replace the feeling of shoveling dirt onto a grave, while the scent of incense wafts through the quiet space of a cemetery? Does simply sitting in front of a phone screen to "visit graves from afar" detract from the sacred value of Thanh Minh?

Professor Dinh Quang Bao said:

"The expression of the later generation's affection for the previous generation may be different in each nation and each era. The important thing is that we still maintain the spirit of remembering the source of water when drinking water. Form does not decide everything, but the education and teaching to the next generation is the most important thing."

The worrying thing is not visiting graves online, but whether the next generation will understand the true meaning of this. If descendants only see visiting graves as a service that can be bought with money, without a spiritual connection, then even if they visit the graves in person, their respect will only be a formality.

Appearance is not as important as the heart

Society changes, customs must also adapt, but the most important thing is to maintain the core values ​​of tradition. A person can visit the grave, but if it is just for show, it is just an empty ritual. On the contrary, a person, even though he cannot return to his hometown, still remembers, lives a filial life, and teaches his children about the family tradition - that is true filial piety.

So, instead of arguing about online or traditional tomb sweeping, we should ask a bigger question: How can we make the next generation always remember their roots and understand the true meaning of Thanh Minh?

Professor Dinh Quang Bao emphasized:

"We must always educate the younger generation to maintain the tradition of remembering the source of water when drinking. This Qingming Festival is an opportunity to teach children about gratitude to the previous generation."

Prof. Dr. Dinh Quang Bao - Former Principal of Hanoi National University of Education

Regardless of how you visit the graves, the important thing is education. Teach your children about their ancestors and the contributions of their predecessors. Let future generations understand that Qingming is not an obligation, but a connection to their roots.

Technology may change the way we perform rituals, but it cannot change the value of gratitude and family connection.

No matter how we visit the graves, always remember: filial piety does not lie in a stick of incense, but in the way we live each day - whether we are worthy of our ancestors or not.

Dear readers, please watch the video: Thanh Minh Festival in the Vietnamese mind. Source: VTV4.

Source: https://khoahocdoisong.vn/tao-mo-online-hinh-thuc-co-quan-trong-bang-long-thanh-kinh-post266833.html